Héma-Québec’s facilities pass annual inspection

Héma-Québec’s facilities pass annual inspection Montréal, March 9, 2004 - Héma-Québec has passed its annual inspection. Consequently, inspectors of Health Canada maintained Héma-Québec's operating licence following the yearly procedural audits, which took place at the Québec facility between November 24 and 28, 2003 and at the Montréal facility between January 19 and 30, 2004.

Throughout the audit of the facilities, the Health Canada inspectors noted that the safety of blood components is a priorit for all Héma-Québec personnel. Health Canada inspects Héma-Québec each year to ensure compliance with safety measures and with the requirements stipulated in its operating licence.

The inspectors made only a few minor observations concerning product safety. Corrective measures have already been, or soon will be, implemented. These observations deal primarily with improving compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices.

" Maintaining the licence ensures that Héma-Québec complies once again with the safety measures required by Health Canada and demonstrates that the population and hospital patients have reason to trust our enterprise and our personnel," explains Dr. Francine Décary, Chief Executive Officer of Héma-Québec.

Since its creation in September 1998, Héma-Québec has welcomed more than 1,400,000 donors at 9,000 blood drives organized in collaboration with its community partners across Québec. Last year alone, Héma-Québec delivered more than 400,000 blood products to hospitals to meet patients’ needs.

Héma-Québec’s mission is to efficiently provide adequate quantities of safe, optimal blood components, substitutes and human tissues to meet the needs of all Quebeckers; provide and develop expertise and services, along with specialized and innovative products in the fields of transfusion medicine and human tissue transplantation.

To obtain the list of observations made by the Health Canada and Héma-Québec's response, click on this link: